Queens Park Rangers have made their worst start ever to a Premier League season. It is time for Mark Hughes to start delivering or face the consequences.
The latest setback came on Monday night, as the Hoops slipped to a 2-1 home defeat in a stormy London derby with West Ham United at Loftus Road.
It means the west Londoners are propping up the Premier League table with just two points from six games.
Results must improve
Despite the major summer spending spree at the club, results haven’t improved and the 48-year-old has only overseen one League Cup victory against Walsall so far this term.
However, QPR chairman Tony Fernandes has given him some support, or as some might say the dreaded vote of confidence.
After the match on Monday, Fernandes took to Twitter to allay the fears of some home supporters.
“Mark will sort it out. Look at his record. We would have won (against West Ham) if we didn’t go down to 10 men.
“I am relaxed and confident. Let’s get all our players back and in form and then let’s see. Think of Spurs.”
Rangers’ chief executive Philip Beard has also voiced his backing for the beleaguered boss, although he did warn that results must improve.
“It goes without saying that the start to the Premier League season has not been what any of us would have wanted.
“As I reflect on a challenging start to our second season back in the best league in the world, I simply look back to May 13 2012 and remind myself that if results had been different on that day, our last three games might have been against Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham and Watford instead of sell-out fixtures against Manchester City, Chelsea and Spurs.
“The wins will come.”
A dismal beginning
Summer arrivals at Loftus Road included Manchester United pair Fabio and Ji-sung Park, Junior Hoillett from Blackburn Rovers, goalkeeper Julio Cesar from Inter Milan and attacking midfielder Esteban Granero who swapped Madrid for west London.
However, a cataclysmic 5-0 home thumping by Swansea on the opening weekend has set the store out for a dismal beginning.
There have been encouraging moments, such as a home draw against league leaders Chelsea and outplaying Tottenham in the first half at White Hart Lane.
However, too many individual lapses in concentration have cost the side, alongside poor finishing and not gelling as a team unit.
Although it should take time for this new team to get to understand each other’s game, the start made has been inexcusable and something has to be done soon.
Injuries haven’t helped, especially at the back. Anton Ferdinand, Armand Traore and Jose Bosingwa are all currently on the sidelines, meaning Clint Hill had to deputise on Monday night at left back.
Andy Johnson has already been sidelined for most of the rest of the campaign with a serious knee injury and had it not been for the scoring form of Bobby Zamora, the situation could be even worse.
Time is a precious commodity
Hughes (pictured) does have previous expectations of having money at his disposal and not delivering.
He was controversially sacked by Manchester City in December 2009 after a run of seven successive draws and ‘failing to meet required targets.’
Although that dismissal was harsh, ‘Sparky’ as better known by his nickname made some naive calls during his time at Eastlands and at times, it doesn’t look like he has learnt from this experience.
He abruptly walked out on Fulham after just one season in charge at Craven Cottage and his decision to hop down to QPR in January this year was a strange one.
Relegation was avoided last season but only just. Much-needed home victories over Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham in the closing weeks helped them beat the drop.
Time is a precious commodity in football and it is nice to see Fernandes come out this week and defend his boss.
However, the Malaysian entrepreneur who runs the successful Air Asia business might have to go back on his word if results do not improve in the next few matches.
Victory at West Brom on Saturday would be a useful start but with no away triumph since last November and not in the Welshmen’s tenure at Loftus Road, don’t be too surprised to have many punters avoid predicting a QPR triumph.
There is time to turn things around in west London but Mark Hughes has a big reputation in management and a point to prove with some. Now, he has to start getting results and quickly.
By Simon Wright – Follow me on Twitter @Siwri88
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